Improvement in water-wheels



2 Sheets-Shani; JOHN M. CASE.

Improvement in Water Wheels.

N0. 122,359. Patente dlan.2,l872.

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Improvement in Water Wheels.

N0. 122,359.- Pa tent edJamZ, 1872.

UNITED STATES JOHN M. CASE, OF ATHENS, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,359, dated January 2, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

I, JOHN M. CASE, of Athens, in the county of Athens and State of Ohio, have invented Improvements in Water-VVheels, of which the following is a specification:

N atnrc and Objects of the Invention.

castings so as to be homogeneous therewith,

and which serve as axes upon which to pivot the gates made to close said annular port. By this improved construction of the port-frame, wherein its center and curb are cast at one operation, and by means whereof they are solidly connected, it may not only be made more cheaply and of a less weight of metal, but it is stronger than any other port-frame now in use, and so soon as cast is ready, without any additional labor or expense in fitting and finishing up to receive the gates, whereby its annular opening is closed and the flow of water from the flume controlled or arrested. Second, in so constructing the radial valvesor gates closing the annular port in the frame over the wheel as that they shall have each a longitudinal groove, formed centrally on the under side thereof, to fit upon and partially embrace the wrought-iron arms of the frame; and in se curing said gates when hung or pivoted upon said arms, by means of hooks or hooked bolts embracing each arm, and secured by nuts to each gate. This part of my invention permits any one of the gates to be easily and quickly removed and replaced in case of any obstruction thereof or injury thereto, and presents a simple and cheap method of hanging the gates so they shall be properly balanced and easily worked. The groove on the under side of each gate affords a perfectly uniform bearing for the same upon its pivot-arm, along its entire length, and requires no special fitting of the parts one to the other. Third, an annular notched plate, provided with a radial arm to be operated by a crank and connecting-link, for the purpose of engaging and actuating the arms of the gates to open and close them all simultaneously; the advantages of said notched plate over others in use being the simplicity and economy of its construction, it being formed complete at one casting, so as to need no adjustment or fitting up preparatory to being combined with the gates for immediate use. By combining a crank and link with the lever of the actuating plate I obviate all the disadvantages attendant upon the cogs and cogged sectors ordinarily employed to open and close the gate, because of the excessive friction of the cogs and their liability to break and become disordered.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure 1 is atop view of the port-frame and gates, illustrating the gates opened. Fig. 3 is a view of the port-frame detached, with the gates and other appendages all removed. Fig. 4 is an elevation of my improved Water-wheel complete, illustrating one-half thereof by a vertical radial section. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of one of the gates detached, illustrating the manner of securing the same upon its pivoted axis; and Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the under side of one of the. gates.

General Description.

A, Fig. 3, is the rim or curb; B, the hub; and U, wrought-iron radial arms or rods connecting the rim and hub of my improved portframe. The rim and hub are of cast-iron, but the arms are best made of wrought-iron, and are secured to the rim and hub by inserting the ends thereof in the molds in which said parts are cast and then casting the metal upon them. The port-frame is thus made to constitute one entire piece, inclosing an annular port, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. D D D are valves or gates of the segmental form illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, and of a length equal to the width of the annular port in the port-frame. A longitudinal groove or recess of a semicircular section is formed centrally on the under side of each gate, as illustrated in Fig. 6, to bear upon and embrace partially the rods or arms C O of the portframe. These rods are placed at such intervals and the gates are so proportioned as that when the gates are placed in order upon the rods (see Fig. 1) they will completely cover and close the port in the port-frame. The gates'D D are secured in place upon the radial rods 0 O by means of hook-ended bolts H, which are inserted through apertures in the gates from. the under side thereof, so as to catch under the rods, and are fastened by means of a nut on the upper side of the gate, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The gates are thus left free to turn upon the arms, and are secured thereto in such manner as that any one of them may be very easily removed and replaced.

. lach gate is provided at its inner end with an arm, 6, projecting at right angles from its upper side. The coreoor hub B of the port-frame is perforated centrally, and the shaft or spindle G (see Fig. 4) of the water-wheel passes through the aperture. F is a sleeve or collar,

.having a flange atits lower end, by means whereof it is bolted upon the hub B to provide a more extended bearing or box for the spindle Gr. H is an annular plate resting loosely upon the upper surface of the hub B, having an arm or lever, h, projecting radially therefrom. This plate is made to encircle the flange f of the collar F, and is of nearly the same thickness as said flange f. It is held in place by means of small plates projecting from the upper surface of the flange beyond its periphcry, and which are secured by means of the bolts which fasten the flange and collar to the hub B, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4. Its periphery is notched (see Fig. 1) with a number of notches or recesses corresponding to the number of gates, and these notches are made to embrace the upper ends of the arms 6 of said gates, so that a movement of the annular plate about the collar will, by moving the arms 0 e, serve to open and close the gates. The movement of the annular plate H is obtained by means of a crank, L, upon an upright rod, K, secured in suitable bearings W on the side of the port-frame, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4,

said crank being connected to the lever h by means of a link, m, Fig. 1. N, Fig. 4, is the water-wheel, formed with radial buckets of approved construction. This wheel is secured upon the lower end of the spindle G, which passes centrally through it, and has its bearings ina step, 1?, supported from the curb or rim A of the port-frame by four arms, R R, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

Instead of closing the port in the frame A B wholly by means of movable gates, as illustrated in Fig. 1, said port may be divided, for the larger class of water-wheels, into a series of chutes, by means of radial division-plates, cast in one with the rim and center of the portframe at an inclination correspondingwith that of the gates when fully opened, the chutes or ports between said division-plates being closed by gates constructed, hung, -and operated in the manner hereinbefore described.

7 Claims.

I claim as my invention 1. The cast-iron port-frame, constructed,as herein described, of an outer rim, A, and'central hub B, connected by radial rods, as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The radial gates D D, constructed each with a central longitudinal groove to form a pivot-bearing therefor, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. Hooked bolts t t, in combination with the radial gates D D and the radial rods 0 (J, substantially as herein described.

4. The annular plate H, notched, as herein described, to receive the ends of the arms 0 e projecting from the radial gates D D, and combined with said gates to operate the same, substantially as herein set forth.

5. The annular notched plate H and radial arm h projecting therefrom, in combination with a crank, L, and connecting-link on, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

Witnesses: JOHN M. CASE.

DAVID A. BURR, J NO. D. PATTEN. (168) 

